Friday, August 30, 2013

MOTIV Tribal will be released 10/1/13. The charcoal
and silver pearl Fusion™ Pearl Reactive coverstock finished to 2000-grit then
polished is wrapped around their Halogen™ Core. The ball is smartly accented
with their Neomark logos in Black/Red Pearl.

If you didn’t happen to catch the finals of the US Open, you missed quite a show. Not only did the men and women compete on the same lanes throughout the tournament, but the men’s and women’s champions faced off in a Battle of the Sexes to determine one ultimate champion.

On the men’s side, the first match was Team USA member and collegiate standout Marshall Kent against PBA champion Wes Malott. Kent left a bucket (2-4-5-8 combination) and missed the spare to allow Malott to win with a mark in the 10th frame 200-193. Malott advanced to face five-time men’s US Open winner Pete Weber.

The men’s and women’s semifinal matches; Malott versus Weber and McEwan versus Johnson; were contested live on TV as both matches were conducted simultaneously. Johnson topped her Team USA teammate McEwan 227-202 while Malott rolled a 279 to best Weber’s 182 and setup a Master’s rematch against Jason Belmonte. Johnson advanced to face top seed Kelly Kulick. Kulick has been the top seed at three consecutive Women’s US Opens.

In the finals, Malott took advantage of Belmonte’s early struggles to best the Master’s champion 214-156. It was the first major title for Malott who has just come back from recent knee surgery. In the women’s finals, Johnson threw six consecutive strikes to easily best defending champion Kulick 257-195.

In the final TV match, Johnson and Malott faced off in the Battle of the Sexes round to determine the ultimate champion. Johnson, who faced Malott on TV previously in a PBA tournament, rolled a 194 to best Malott’s 188 earning herself an extra $10,000.

All eight bowlers in the stepladder finals are members of the Storm or Roto Grip staffs. While it would have been nice to see the first stepladder matches, the overall show was worth the watch.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

The Grip/It is the second introduction into the "IT" series from 900 Global. The “IT” series is built around performance tailored for usability on today’s normally crowned league conditions where medium and medium-dry oil units exist.For that reason the Grip/It was created to compliment the Rip/It by producing more traction in oil due to its stronger S64 shell, 4,000 grit Abralon finish and modified diving bell core. The Grip/It fills the role of the traditional benchmark ball, providing excellent length with a strong V-shaped motion at the breakpoint. Tweener’s and normal releases will enjoy being able to open up the back of the lane with the Grip/It while more rev dominate player’s will be able to play deeper without having to loft gutter caps or worry about the Grip/It rolling out. In Pro Shops September 9th.

Monday, August 26, 2013

The partnership between Brunswick and Radical Bowling Technologies – the high-tech ball company featuring the team of Phil Cardinale and Mo Pinel – has provided the opportunity for the newly re-branded company to become the newest member of the Professional Bowlers Association’s Registered Product Company family.The partnership agreement recently moved production of Radical bowling balls to the Brunswick manufacturing facility, and a number of exciting things have already taken place including an expansion in the worldwide distribution of Radical performance bowling balls. The expanded distribution base and increase in pro shop shelf space has created an opportunity for the Radical brand to make an investment and get the products in use for PBA national and regional competitions.

As a full PBA Registered Product Company, Radical Bowling will be able to take advantage of a wide range of promotional opportunities provided by the PBA at all levels of competition, including the PBA Tour, PBA50 Tour and the PBA’s extensive regional program.

Approved Radical Bowling products will be eligible immediately for use in PBA

competition, including upcoming PBA Regional Players Invitational events that will be webcast live on Xtra Frame, and in PBA Tour competition during the PBA World Series of Bowling V which gets underway Oct. 25 at South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas. WSOB-V also will include hundreds of hours of live coverage on Xtra Frame, the PBA’s exclusive online bowling channel, as well as five PBA Tour championship finals which will be nationally televised on ESPN.

“I’m thrilled to get the opportunity team up with Brunswick,” said Cardinale. “This partnership is providing the Radical brand with a first-class manufacturing facility for our balls and the opportunity to expand our reach with improved sales and distribution to pro shops and consumers around the world. We have some outstanding products, and I look forward to seeing the Radical balls used in PBA competition."

Brian Graham, director of sales and marketing for Brunswick consumer products, concurred, saying, “Partnering with Phil and Mo to create Radical Bowling Technologies is a great example of how we’re growing our overall position in the bowling consumer products business. This brand is allowing us to expand our product offerings to reach a new customer that is looking for a technological edge in their bowling balls.”

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Planning, preparation and strategic movements heading into the 2014 PBA League season are officially underway with team managers beginning the process of re-signing players and releasing others to free agency. Under the new rules for the 2014 season – which officially gets underway Jan. 1 at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich. – team managers have until Aug. 31 to re-sign up to three players (in addition to the No. 1 player, who is automatic) from last year’s rosters, and assign them to “slot” positions on their 2014 rosters – from No. 2 through No. 5.

“Slot” positions for 2014 rosters are compensated within pre-set salary ranges, starting at $20,000 for the No. 1 position (formerly known as the “franchise player”). Team managers have a total “cap” of $71,000 within which they can negotiate player salaries. For No. 2 slots, players must be paid between $14,000-18,000. For No. 3 slots, the salary range is between $12,000-16,000. For No. 4 players, the range is $10,000-14,000. For No. 5 slot positions, the range is $8,000-12,000.

Existing rostered players who are released or unsigned as of Aug. 31 will become free agents, eligible to negotiate with other teams as of Sept. 1. If the free agents do not sign with another team by Oct. 1 (the maximum number of players who can be signed through the free agency period is four including the franchise player), free agents will enter the 2014 player draft along with any player from the top 50 players based upon the 2012-13 PBA competition points list not on a team. The 2014 player draft – which will be conducted in reverse order of how teams finished last season – will be conducted on Monday, Nov. 4, following the World Series at South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas.

It’s important to note that players on 2012-13 rosters are not required to re-sign with their previous teams, even if they are made an offer. Players are allowed to decline offers and enter free agency if they wish.

Also note, after the re-signing period and the free agency period, the most players a team can have on its roster is four (including the No. 1 player). That insures every team will have at least one opening for the draft.

All 2014 PBA League roster transactions must be approved by PBA Commissioner Tom Clark.

Here’s what has transpired since the re-signing period began on Aug. 1:

Dallas Strikers’ Player/Manager Norm Duke signs No. 2 Rhino Page

PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke, the No. 1 player on the Dallas Strikers and Strikers’ team manager, was the first manager to initiate a re-signing, securing left-hander Rhino Page of Dade City, Fla., to his No. 2 roster position ($15,000). Duke also released last year’s No. 4 player Bryon Smith of Roseburg, Ore., and “supplemental pick” Mike Wolfe of New Albany, Ind. Both are now on the “free agent” list and will be eligible to sign with any of the other teams when the free agent signing period opens on Sept. 1.

Motown Muscle re-signs Mike Scroggins

Muscle manager Del Ballard Jr. has announced the re-signing of veteran left-hander Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas, to his team’s No. 4 slot ($10,000). Mike Fagan retains the No. 1 position. Scroggins was No. 3 in last year’s Muscle lineup, but has been sidelined since the PBA Tournament of Champions while battling a painful bout with plantar faciitis. Ballard also has released Jesse Buss of Belvidere, Ill.; supplemental pick Brad Angelo of Lockport, N.Y. (who was acquired in a trade with the New York WTT KingPins for Kelly Kulick), and D.J. Archer of Friendswood, Texas, who replaced Angelo when he withdrew due to injury. The Motown Muscle team is owned by former Pittsburgh Steelers star Jerome Bettis.

STyLES manager Johnny Petraglia has not only re-signed Jason Sterner of McDonough, Ga., but elevated last year’s No. 5 player to the No. 2 slot ($15,000) in his 2014 lineup after Sterner won his first PBA Tour title and almost claimed a second earlier in the 2012-13 season. Petraglia also secured the PBA’s most successful player ever, Walter Ray Williams Jr., to the No. 3 slot ($13,000) and released left-hander Ryan Ciminelli of Cheektowaga, N.Y., and Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, N.Y. Sean Rash returns as the STyLES’ No. 1 player. The STyLES owner is actor Jesse Williams.

Silver Lake Atom Splitters retain England’s Dom Barrett

Atom Splitters manager Mark Baker has re-signed England’s Dom Barrett to the No. 4 slot ($11,000) on the team owned by Internet podcast entrepreneur Chris Hardwick. Barrett held the No. 2 position on last year’s team. Chris Barnes is Silver Lake’s No. 1 player. Baker also released the rest of last year’s Atom Splitters roster to free agency: Josh Blanchard of Gilbert, Ariz.; Stuart Williams of England; Nathan Bohr of Wichita, Kan., and supplemental player Jon VanHees of Charlestown, R.I.

New York City WTT KingPins re-sign Norton, Szczerbinski

KingPins manager Carolyn Dorin-Ballard – the only woman manager in the PBA League – has re-signed two-time 2012-13 PBA Tour winner Scott Norton to the No. 2 slot($17,75) on the only team owned by a woman (women’s sports legend Billie Jean King). The defending PBA League Elias Cup champions are led by No. 1 player Pete Weber, a PBA Hall of Famer. Dorin-Ballard (a hall of famer herself) also retained former Wichita State collegiate star John Szczerbinski to the No. 4 slot ($10,500) on her team. Previous team members Tommy Jones, Jack Jurek and Kelly Kulick all will enter free agency on Sept. 1.

Pittsburgh Jack Rabbits keep Allen at No. 3

Continuing the trend in retaining top left-handers, Jack Rabbits manager Tim Mack has re-signed Patrick Allen of Wesley Chapel, Fla., to his team’s No. 3 slot ($13,000), moving Allen up one spot from last season. Finnish two-handed star Osku Palermaa returns as Pittsburgh’s No. 1 player. The Jack Rabbits are owned by Pittsburgh Steelers all-pro linebacker LaMarr Woodley, and hold the No. 1 position for the 2014 PBA League player draft.

Waiting in the wings: L.A. X and Philadelphia Hitmen

It’s still early in the re-signing period, but thus far L.A. X manager Andrew Cain and Philadelphia Hitmen manager Jason Couch have yet to make a move. Cain’s team is owned by Los Angeles Clippers all-star point guard Chris Paul, with Jason Belmonte as his No. 1 player. Couch’s Hitmen are owned by actor-comedian Kevin Hart and his No. 1 player is Bill O’Neill.

Monday, August 5, 2013

When team owner Billie Jean King raised the Elias Cup over her head with the help of her victorious New York City WTT KingPins presented by GEICO bowlers last April on ESPN, the first season of the Professional Bowlers Association League was complete – and work on improving the groundbreaking team concept began.

The second season of the PBA League, set to begin January 1 in Allen Park, MI, will include a variety of enhancements, including revamped team lineups, the addition of team managers, new competition formats, and a special new Mark Roth PBA League MVP Award, PBA Commissioner Tom Clark announced today.

“The PBA League, in its inaugural season, achieved every goal we could have hoped for,” Clark said, “and it has provided us with a solid foundation to build the PBA League into the kind of dynamic, exciting new aspect of the PBA we envisioned. Some of the new concepts will be unveiled as we enter our second year of PBA League competition.”

Among the changes for the 2014 PBA League season:

The eight original teams and owners will be back, and each team's franchise players will be retained. A new manager will be added to each team who will have responsibilities for acquiring players, negotiating trades and determining lineups for competition, among other duties:

Each PBA League team will have a five-player roster. Teams will have the right to re-sign up to three players from their 2013 rosters between Aug. 1 and Aug. 31.

● Players who are not re-signed by Aug. 31 will become free agents. If the free agents do not sign with another team by Oct. 1 (maximum number of players signed through the free agency period is four including the franchise player), free agents will enter the 2014 player draft along with any player from the top 50 players based upon the 2012-13 PBA competition points list not on a team.

● Players who are eligible for the draft will have until Nov. 3 to declare themselves for the draft.

● The 2014 PBA League player draft will be held on Nov. 4, at the completion of the PBA World Series of Bowling V in Las Vegas.

● Draft order will be in reverse order to how teams finished in the 2013 PBA League points competition (No. 8 Pittsburgh will draft first followed by Philadelphia, Silver Lake, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Dallas, Motown and New York City).

● Trades will be allowed, subject to the PBA Commissioner’s approval, up to Nov. 17. Allowances also will be made for players who are injured and unable to participate.

● Teams have a base payment cap they must work within to build their squad.

“There will be a few changes to the program next season, but one thing that won’t change is the outcome,” said Weber, the PBA Hall of Famer who led the New York City WTT KingPins to the inaugural Elias Cup title. “I had the best team last year, and I’ll have the best team next season, too.

“The PBA League was great fun, a great experience,” he added. “I’m really looking forward to defending our title in 2014.”

PBA League competition in 2014 will feature head-to-head team competition featuring four singles matches, two alternate-ball doubles matches, a Baker trios match and a four-player Baker team match. In the round-robin team competition, every team will bowl each of the other teams.

● All preliminary round matches will take place Jan. 1-7 at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, MI.● Teams will earn points for each match to secure positions for the PBA League Playoffs which will be conducted as part of USBC Masters week, Feb. 22-23, at Brunswick Zone Carolier in North Brunswick, N.J.

● The Elias Cup finals will follow the live ESPN-televised finals of the PBA Tournament of Champions at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis on Sunday, April 6, and will air on Sunday, April 13.

PBA League television coverage on ESPN will feature selected matches to-be-determined during the singles/doubles/trios/team rounds. The first round airs live on ESPN, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014. The PBA's Xtra Frame online streaming video service will provide full coverage of all matches.

All players selected to participate in the 2014 PBA League will receive prize fund compensation based upon their position (1-5) on the team ($600,000 total in base pay) in addition to competing for shares of $300,000 in prize money. The winning team will earn a total of $130,000, the runner-up will earn $80,000, the third-place team $50,000 and the fourth-place team $40,000.

The player who accumulates the most points during the PBA League season will be awarded the Mark Roth PBA League Most Valuable Player Award, named after the revolutionary PBA Hall of Famer.

Looking ahead to the 2015 season, the PBA League may retain the same eight team names and owners or expand. The term “franchise player” will be eliminated; team members will be designated as 1-5 based upon their position in the draft. All teams will re-draft their entire rosters from a pool of 50 players that will be based on a rolling point system beginning with the 2013 World Series V and continuing through the 2014 Summer Swing. Any rostered PBA League player from 2014 who doesn’t make the top 50 also will be included in the draft pool.

Complete 2014 PBA League rules, base pay team cap information, 2013 team rosters, schedule and television details are posted at:http://www.pba.com/content/images/forms/2014%20PBA%20LEAGUE.pdf"During the offseason, fans will be able to strategize along with the team managers in how they would construct a team," Clark said. "As players are secured with clubs or picked up through free agency, that news will be made public."